Thanks to Bruce Shoe-fiti-maker for bringing up another motivation for hanging shoes: celebrations. The U of MN is one of many schools with celebratory shoe hanging for graduating students. For example, the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay had a "Shoe Tree" that was destroyed by a storm in 2002, but alumni worked to designate a new tree on campus to continue the tradition: http://www.uwgb.edu/univcomm/news/photoarch/events/shoetree.htm
It would be hard to mistake something like this for the shoes on powerlines in Phillips that Constance Nompelis associated with blight in her post last week. A few folks have chalked up shoefiti's affiliation with nefarious activity as an urban myth. I don't entirely discount that hypothesis, but haven't heard any verifiable and plausible alternatives to explain the shoes in problematic alleys and parking lots. While they may not be set up as advertisements, they certainly could be used by people trying to find trouble. Apparently, the people operating the bucket trucks at Xcel differentiate by location. What else explains why they removed only one of the pairs reported on March 28th in Phillips/Central? http://www.4factors.com/pics/graffiti/shoefiti-july05.jpg Brace yourself. I'm leaving shoefiti conspiracy theories behind for a moment to explore another reason why they should come down (in addition to blight): Safety. According to a press release by the company that hasn't taken the shoes down - Xcel Energy - shoes on powerlines pose a safety risk, and could cause severe injuries or death to children trying to retrieve them: ------- http://www.xcelenergy.com/XLWEB/CDA/0,3080,1-1-1_15531_18513-1742-0_0_0-0,00.html "7/3/2002 - Minneapolis: Xcel Energy warns that "Like Mike" power line scene is extremely dangerous, inadvisable in real life MINNEAPOLIS - A scene in the new movie "Like Mike" depicting a child coming into contact with an energized power line would be extremely dangerous and even fatal in real life, warn Xcel Energy safety officials. The scene depicts the movie's main character climbing a tree during a lightning storm and reaching for a pair of basketball shoes draped over a power line as lightning strikes a nearby power pole. The character and his shoes are electrified and he is transformed into a talented National Basketball Association player, but in real life anyone coming into contact with a power line in this manner would be severely injured and possibly killed" ------- If Xcel regards shoefiti is a threat to public safety, why have they stopped taking them down? Wouldn't it be tragic to hear about a child in Phillips plunging to his or her death after trying to retrieve a pair of shoes from a power line? Will electrocution or the fall be the cause of death? -Ed Kohler (Who plans to one day shut up about this issue.) Cooper "Give a Hoot. Don't Shoe-lute" REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
